The Florida Senate

320.08053  Requirements for requests to establish specialty license plates.--

(1)  An organization that seeks authorization to establish a new specialty license plate for which an annual use fee is to be charged must submit to the department:

(a)  A request for the particular specialty license plate being sought, describing the proposed specialty license plate in general terms.

(b)  The results of a scientific sample survey of Florida motor vehicle owners that indicates at least 15,000 motor vehicle owners intend to purchase the proposed specialty license plate at the increased cost. The sample survey of registered motor vehicle owners must be performed independently of the requesting organization by an organization that conducts similar sample surveys as a normal course of business. Prior to conducting a sample survey for the purposes of this section, a requesting organization must obtain a determination from the department that the organization selected to conduct the survey performs similar surveys as a normal course of business and is independent of the requesting organization.

(c)  An application fee, not to exceed $60,000, to defray the department's cost for reviewing the application and developing the specialty license plate, if authorized. State funds may not be used to pay the application fee, except for collegiate specialty license plates authorized in s. 320.08058(3) and (13). The specialty license plate application provisions of this act shall not apply to any organization which has requested and received the required forms for obtaining a specialty license plate authorization from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, has opened a bank account for the funds collected for the specialty license tag and has made deposits to such an account, and has obtained signatures toward completing the requirements for the specialty license tag. All applications requested on or after the effective date of this act must meet the requirements of this act.

(d)  A marketing strategy outlining short-term and long-term marketing plans for the requested specialty license plate and a financial analysis outlining the anticipated revenues and the planned expenditures of the revenues to be derived from the sale of the requested specialty license plates.

The information required under this subsection must be submitted to the department at least 90 days before the convening of the next regular session of the Legislature.

(2)  If the specialty license plate requested by the organization is approved by law, the organization must submit the proposed art design for the specialty license plate to the department as soon as practicable, but no later than 60 days after the act approving the specialty license plate becomes a law. If the specialty license plate requested by the organization is not approved by the Legislature, the application fee shall be refunded to the requesting organization.

History.--s. 1, ch. 95-282; s. 1, ch. 98-414.